Has anyone started playing out after turning 50 years old?

DaleClark

Senior Member
its been over 30 years since i played with any band on a regular basis. Im thinking of searching for like minded musicians who may want to casually create and eventually try to play at some small scale estabishments every now and then. Probably original jazzy improvisatoions. Heck, finding a place to play would probably be challenging enough. More for fun vs wanting to make extra money. Those challenges aside, anyone here reboot their “gigging” at such a ripe age?
If so , maybe share your challenges, experiences, etc.
 
I took 28 years off. I mean no drumming at all. At 48 years old I walked into an open stage night. 3 weeks later I was in the band that I am still in. Now 55, I gig 20 to 30 times a year, and would love to do more.

Honestly, the only challenges have only been trying to coordinate schedules and scheduling gigs with 4 fellow band members with family, kids in high school/college, vacations, and careers.
 
I’m 49 now, turning 50 later this year. Always wanted to drum but something always got in the way (money, space, kids, etc.). Finally got an e-kit 2 years ago and acoustic kit last year. I’ve found a few guys to jam with, and still looking for a singer to complete the group. Race against time to see if I can actually play a gig before the big 5-0. I think it’s great for anyone to pick up playing some drums any time, regardless of age. You only get one chance to do something you want in this life, so if it’s drumming, go for it. I am!
 
Never too late to learn something new, whether it be a new instrument, painting, photography, etc. Learning new things not only keeps your brain active, it keeps you interesting to other people.

All that really matters is that you enjoy it.
 
I started playing again in 2008 after a long absence from playing. I do recommend that what ever kit your going to play, make it as lightweight and small as possible. I am currently in my 60's and packing the drums up moving it to the car, setting up at the gig, braking down, putting it back in the car, and then unloading the car is not as easy as it used to be.
 
48. So not quite there but I suspect I'll be gigging in this band at 50, god willing.

I hadn't drummed for about a decade. Four years back my old band buddy from the 80s suggested we reform the band for a last hurrah. The idea was just to do some jamming. Not gigs.

Three weeks and two rehearsals later the chap who ran the rehearsal studio heard us, and booked us in for a gig at the quaintly named "Guzzling Goose" near to us. We were heard by a local muso in there who runs the Witchwood live music venue in Ashton U Lyne who casually asked "do you want to play a support slot at the weekend with the UK Subs".

The UK Subs were our boyhood heroes. So we said "ahum...well.....go on then". We got to then play a half hour set of the originals we'd managed to knock together in literally weeks, and three or four covers. And we got to chat at length with Charlie Harper, and in my case with their drummer Jamie Oliver.

(I'm totally digressing, but I turned up for the gig and it was on a wooden floor. Of course I was as nervous as hell and shitting it about my drums sliding when, following his sound check, Jamie heard me mention my lack of a drum carpet and promptly removed his entire kit off stage just so that I could use his carpet).

Half way through our set, the UK Subs are out of their dressing room listening and singing along to I Wanna Be Your Dog and Blitkrieg Bop....what a buzz !!

Subsequently we have supported many of our childhood heroes. Stiff Little Fingers, Sham69, Bad Manners, the Buzzcocks, UK Subs on three occasions. And played a number of festivals in our own right, playing our own originals set.

It's the best feeling in the world being THE entertainment rather than being entertained. There's a pile of shit that goes with it of course (we focus on originals and won't cop out and play just covers) but we play half a dozen shit gigs for that ONE fantastic gig which makes it all worth while. Such is the 'lot' of the semi-professional punk originals band :)
 
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Currently 53, but only been a drummer for about 5 years.

Formed the nucleus of my band after about 3 drum lessons and haven't looked back.

And drumming has reinvigorated my passion for playing guitar and writing original songs, mostly comic, mostly rude, and mostly in the key of E.
 
I just turned 59, and started playing again after a 30+ year hiatus,.I currently play once a week, and find a lot of the folks I play with are the same age or older..
 
its been over 30 years since i played with any band on a regular basis. Im thinking of searching for like minded musicians who may want to casually create and eventually try to play at some small scale estabishments every now and then. Probably original jazzy improvisatoions. Heck, finding a place to play would probably be challenging enough. More for fun vs wanting to make extra money. Those challenges aside, anyone here reboot their “gigging” at such a ripe age?
If so , maybe share your challenges, experiences, etc.

I'll start a band with you as long as they don't mind two drummers and one of them is 70 years old.
 
I took almost 35 years off. Got a bonus at work so I thought what the heck I'll buy a drum kit just to fool around. I started playing out again after I turned 60. I'll never be the greatest I missed 35 years of playing. But I nailed down a few grooves (swing, a few blues shuffles, and a 4/4 rock with eights on hats and cymbals) and now I play out about once a week. My fills are simple and I don't really do any solos, but for backing up a blues/jazz band that needs minimal drums I'm proficient. I stay outta the way of the rest of the band and give them a good steady pocket and I get gigs and have a regular band I play with.
 
I came back to drumming after a long hiatus. I just did a big band gig yesterday, and loved every minute of it. I'm turning seventy in a few weeks. I say live in the moment and do everything you can!
 
Only 41, but I'm sure that around 50 I'll also pick up another new intrument that I'll play publicly if I'm allowed to.
 
After 30 years of not drumming, I started practicing a bit, then found out a local concert band was drummerless and just walked in one night. (I learned to read music doing big band stuff in high school and college). We do about 12 concerts a year, plus I play regularly at church. Over the same time I've also picked up some guitar and piano, so it has been something of a musical renaissance for me.

Highly recommended for reawakening those dormant parts of your brain and sparking up some underused neurons, maybe even forging new paths in the circuitry.

It makes me remember what it's like to feel young. How much more reason do you need?
 
I took a 30 year hiatus from drumming. When I started back at first I thought I'd lost it and would never be as good as I was when I was young. I practiced daily and finally went to an open jam. The host was very encouraging and after I told him the type music I liked he waited to play with me. First time out we did an epic 20 minute version of Hey Pocky Way which I had never heard. Anyway, after the initial butterflies all was good. I played as a regular at two churches and play out as much as I can. I'm actually a much better drummer now than I was when I was in college. Most of the times when I play at open jams I get asked to join up with someone, just haven't found the right mix quite yet. My advice, practice, and go out and play somewhere.
 
I played the drums for 10 years, then totally quit for 42 years. I picked it back up at 63 years old. I love playing.
It is much harder to load in the drums, unpack, set up, tear down, and load out; than it is to play for four hours.

Make sure you spend a few days a week in the gym.


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No reason whatsoever not to! Even tho you are older than god and Im surprised you are even able to post on a forum, in certain circles geriatrics like you can still play and the laughter is kept down to a light roar most of the time. I kid, Ill probably be over 50 by the time I gig again and was joking about making fun of how incredibly old you are.
 
If you have the desire, time and connections - by all means go for it! Unlike sports, there is no age limit to what is possible.

I'm on the other side of your timeline. I began gigging full-time at 17 years old. After about 5-6 years later I took it part-time for almost 30 years.

Now, I've all but quit the instrument entirely.
 
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